Privacy Policy for PetzYPets

Introduction

PetzYPets ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal information when you use the PetzYPets mobile application ("App") and related services.

By using PetzYPets, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our App.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: Name, username, email address, password, phone number, date of birth, and profile photo

• Profile Content: Bio, links, pet information, and personal preferences

• User-Generated Content: Photos, videos, posts, comments, contest entries, giveaway submissions, and chat messages

• Marketplace Information: Product listings, descriptions, prices, and shipping addresses

• Payment Information: Billing details processed securely through PayPal (we do not store full payment card information)

• Contest & Campaign Data: Contest submissions, sponsor details, and advertising campaign content

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device Information: Device model, operating system, unique device identifiers, IP address

• Usage Data: Features accessed, time spent in the App, interactions with content

• Location Data: Approximate or precise location (only when you grant permission, used for local contests and marketplace listings)

• Push Notification Tokens: Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) tokens for sending notifications

1.3 Information From Third Parties

• Authentication data from social login providers (if used)

• Payment confirmation data from PayPal

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Create and manage your account

• Provide core app features (feed, contests, marketplace, giveaways, chat, services)

• Process payments and transactions

• Send push notifications about activity, messages, contest results, and orders

• Personalize your experience and recommend content

• Moderate content and enforce our community guidelines

• Communicate with you about updates, support, and promotional offers

• Detect, prevent, and respond to fraud, abuse, or security issues

• Comply with legal obligations

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We share information only in the following cases:

3.1 Other Users

• Your profile, posts, comments, contest entries, and marketplace listings are visible to other users based on your privacy settings

• When you message another user, your messages are visible to that user

3.2 Service Providers

We share data with trusted third-party services that help us operate the App:

• Firebase (Google): Push notifications, analytics

• PayPal: Payment processing

• Amazon Web Services (AWS): Media storage and hosting

• Hosting providers: Server infrastructure

These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only for the services they provide.

3.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information when required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of PetzYPets, our users, or the public.

3.4 Business Transfers

If PetzYPets is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

4. Data Storage and Security

• Your data is stored on secure servers provided by AWS

• We use industry-standard encryption (HTTPS/TLS) for data in transit

• Passwords are hashed and never stored in plain text

• Authentication uses JWT tokens with automatic expiration and refresh

• Media files are stored in secured S3 buckets

• We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your data

However, no system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted over the internet.

5. Your Rights and Choices

You have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you

• Update: Edit your profile information at any time within the App

• Delete: Delete your account from Settings, which removes your personal data from our active systems

• Opt-out: Disable push notifications, email notifications, and marketing communications

• Privacy Settings: Control who sees your profile, posts, and activity

• Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a portable format

• Withdraw Consent: Revoke previously granted permissions (camera, location, notifications)

To exercise any of these rights, email us at support@petsypetz.com.

6. Children's Privacy

PetzYPets is not intended for children under 13 years of age (or the minimum age required in your country). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we discover that we have collected data from a child under 13, we will delete it promptly.

If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at support@petsypetz.com.

7. Location Data

If you grant location permissions:

• We use your location for geo-targeted contests, local marketplace results, and nearby services

• You can disable location access at any time through your device settings

• Disabling location will not prevent you from using the App, but some features may be limited

8. Camera and Media Access

We request access to your camera, photo library, and videos only when you upload content (posts, contest entries, product listings, profile photos). Media is only captured or accessed when you actively choose to do so.

9. Push Notifications

We use Firebase Cloud Messaging to send push notifications about:

• New messages and chat activity

• Contest and giveaway updates

• Order status changes

• Social interactions (likes, comments, follows)

• Important account or security alerts

You can turn off push notifications at any time in Settings → Notifications or your device settings.

10. Payments

All payments are processed through PayPal. When you make a purchase or pay for a contest entry:

• Your payment is handled directly by PayPal

• We receive only the transaction confirmation and payment status

• We never see or store your PayPal login or full card details

• PayPal's Privacy Policy governs how they handle your payment information

11. Cookies and Tracking

The mobile App does not use traditional browser cookies. However, we use similar technologies (local storage, device identifiers, SDKs) to:

• Keep you logged in

• Remember your preferences

• Analyze app performance and usage patterns

12. Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account:

• Personal data is removed from active systems within 30 days

• Backup copies are purged within 90 days

• Some data may be retained longer to comply with legal obligations or resolve disputes

• Anonymous/aggregated data may be kept indefinitely for analytics

13. International Data Transfers

Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. We take steps to ensure these transfers comply with applicable data protection laws.

14. Third-Party Links

Our App may contain links to third-party websites or services (such as sponsor websites or ad destinations). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. Please review their privacy policies separately.

15. User-Generated Content

Content you post publicly (posts, comments, contest entries, listings) is visible to other users. Once content is shared, we cannot control how others may copy, share, or use it. Be thoughtful about what you share.

16. Account Deletion

You can delete your account from Settings → Delete Account within the App. Deletion is permanent and includes:

• Your profile information

• Your posts, comments, and submissions

• Your chat history

• Your marketplace listings and orders

• Your device and notification tokens

Some information may be retained if required by law or for legitimate business purposes (e.g., completed transactions, fraud prevention).

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make significant changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy

• Notify you through the App or via email

• Request your consent where required by law

Your continued use of PetzYPets after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

18. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us:

Email: support@petsypetz.com

Website: https://petsypetz.com

Support Page: https://sites.google.com/view/petzypets-contact/home

We aim to respond to all inquiries within 24–48 hours.

19. Compliance

This Privacy Policy is designed to comply with:

• GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) — EU

• CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) — USA

• COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) — USA

• Apple App Store privacy requirements

• Google Play Store privacy requirements

By using PetzYPets, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to this Privacy Policy.